


spit it out already

by waldorbes



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Canon, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-19
Updated: 2012-11-19
Packaged: 2017-11-19 02:11:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/567874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waldorbes/pseuds/waldorbes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>fred and george are getting ready to leave hogwarts, but something keeps bothering george. he has had the longest crush on hermione and he wants to tell her before he leaves hogwarts and maybe never see her again. but doesn't she like ron? Or maybe fred?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_I gotta tell her. I gotta tell her._ Those were the only words running through George Weasley's mind. It shouldn't have been what was in his head though. If his brother Fred knew that, that was what he was thinking, Fred would probably sock him right in the face.

George was supposed to be helping Fred out with their plan on how they were going to be leaving Hogwarts. The only thing on his mind though was her. He wanted to tell her how he had felt for so long but there always seemed to be something stopping him.

"Earth to George. Earth to George! Are you even listening to what I'm saying?" George was shocked out of his thoughts when he realized that Fred was speaking to him. He had been waving his hand frantically in front of George's dazed face. He started to wonder just how long he hadn't been paying attention and just how much of what Fred had said that he missed.

He did his best to shake his head of her. He needed to concentrate on getting out of that place. Once that was figured out, and then he would worry about the love department.

"Sorry Fred, I was just thinking of the exact moment we should leave. Maybe during the O.W.L.s?" George thought it was a good idea and he made it sound like he really had been thinking about it. He smiled, hoping that he made it seem believable. However Fred seemed irritated.

"I just suggested that George." George's face fell a little bit farther realizing that he really hadn't paid real attention. "What is with you mate? You seem so distracted." George simply shrugged. He couldn't tell Fred who he was really thinking about. He would have gotten ripped so badly, and it just wasn't worth it.

George returned his attention to the defense against the dark arts homework that was sitting in front of him. The class used to be one of George's favorites, but since the horrible toad Umbridge took it over, it had become a joke.

Then Dumbledore's Army started. He and Fred joined of course. They knew that Harry would be able to show them how to protect themselves properly. Although there was another reason he had joined and it was her. It was always because of her. Everything he did, all the trouble he caused, it was just a way to get her to notice him.

When he first met her he didn't understand why he had felt something when he was around her. Soon those feelings started to happen more and more and they were always around her. As they grew older he realized that he did have feelings for her and that they were deep and real.

He would never tell her though, hell he never even told his twin who knew EVERYTHING about him. Whenever George fancied a girl Fred knew about it, except for this one of course. If Fred did know that George liked her then he didn't let on. After a few moments of what George made seem like thinking he nodded and looked up at Fred.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts exam. That's when we do it." Fred nodded evilly in agreement. Soon a sigh came from behind them and George was struck frozen. He knew that sigh all too well. He wiped the shocked sense away from his face and turned around with Fred. Of course it was none other then,

"Hermione love." As Fred said this to her, Hermione just rolled her eyes, and sighed as she put her hands in clenched fists on her hips.

"What are you two planning now?" she sounded a little annoyed as she asked it. After all it was probably the millionth and first time she had asked it, in that year alone.

Fred turned to George with a smug look on his face.

"Planning? George, are we planning anything?"

George shook his head.

"I don't believe so Fred." He turned to Hermione flashing his normal grin.

"Unless that is my dear Hermione you mean, are we planning to finish our assignments? If that was your question then our answer would have to be yes." His wide grin stayed plastered on his face as Hermione simply rolled her eyes once more. She bent down low and spoke in a soft voice so that only the twins could hear her.

"Look guys, I don't like taking points away from my own house. Whatever you are planning to do can you not please? I don't want to take points from Gryffindor AGAIN." She sighed as she finished her sentence. They were Ron's brothers and like her family. It was hard to take away points from family. Then again, a majority of Gryffindor was like her family.

She looked from Fred to George, with hope in her eyes. George felt his heart jump as she looked at him. George sighed, giving into her request.

"Alright Hermione, we won't do anything." He sounded sincere, which made Hermione smile, and made Fred look confused.

"Thank you George." She said this as she stood and smiled. "I'll see you two later then. I have to go study some more for my O.W.L.'s." she walked away and went back to her table. George watched her and on the inside was dancing. He had made her smile. It was like Christmas day to him. The dancing stopped as he looked at Fred. He looked confused.

"What?" George asked him a little defensively. Fred just shook his head.

"Letting our plans go down the drain for a bird. Our brother's bird no less!" George looked confused and a little disgusted to try and shake Fred off.

"What are you talking about? There is no girl." Fred just shook his head and scoffed.

"Yes there is. And she is a Prefect. I must say George, I never thought you would fall for someone in authority." George was just looking at Fred like he had gone mad.

"Fred there is NOBODY!" George was going nuts. He couldn't let anyone know that he liked Hermione. He couldn't let Fred know because he would mock him ten times worse then he was now, Ron would kill him because of how he felt about her, and Hermione would never feel the same way.

Her and Ron seemed to be destined for each other. He had realized that second year when she had been petrified. Ron wanted her awake so badly. Everyone knew that Ron liked Hermione, except for probably Hermione. Sometimes she seemed oblivious to everything when it came to the matters of love.

George turned to look at Fred to see if he was buying his charade. Fred was just shaking his head.

"George I've had a feeling that you liked her for a while now. I just never thought that you actually did, or that you would let her get in the way of the mission." Fred had the smuggest smile on his face. He thought he knew all. He didn't. Or at least George would let him think that he didn't.

"Well, if you are so smart, who do you think this girl is that I am supposed to be so hooked on?" he knew that this was a dangerous question to ask.

Fred knew when George was lying. After all they had done it so much together they could tell when one was telling the truth. Fred let the smug smile grow.

"Hermione." HE KNEW! How did he know? Was he really that obvious about it? He thought he was being slick when it came to her. George didn't realize that his face had shown worry at his twins' correct guess. Or at least he didn't know of it until Fred spoke again.

"Oh come off it mate. I've known for a while. I just don't understand why you didn't tell me. After all, I'm not going to tell Ron. I'm not that thick." George started to take normal breaths. At least the one person who knew wouldn't tell the brother who would kill him for it.

"How did you find out?" George asked in a low whisper. He needed to know what he did to make it that someone could tell. Then on the inside he started to freak out.

He turned to look at Hermione. She was studying. She looked up at them and George's eyes popped. He didn't expect her to look up. She just smiled the smile that he loved and gave him a small wave. He felt so stupid for doing so and he wondered if she thought he was a total idiot for looking the way he did. She just smiled a wider smile and laughed.

George turned his attention back to Fred with question in his eye and a small bit of blush in his cheeks. Fred simply smiled a rather smug smile at his twin.

"Mate I could tell you had a thing for her for years. I don't know how I know. It must be a twin thing." George's face didn't lose the look of utter shock and horror. He thought he had hid it well. He figured that as long as Hermione didn't know he was safe. "I don't blame you mate. She has grown rather nicely." George snapped his head back at Fred with furry in his eyes.

"Don't talk about her like that." Fred put up his hands in defense and backed his body away from George, leaning back on the back legs of his chair.

"Sorry, but George," he leaned back on all four legs of his chair and leaned in toward George. "Ron likes her."

"I know he does." He said slowly with his lips slipping sideways and disappointment in his eyes. "Why do you think I haven't done anything about it?"

"Who do I like exactly?"


	2. Chapter 2

George froze once again. _Why is everybody overhearing things today? Don't they have lives of their own?_ he thought. The twins turned to find none other then Ron standing behind them. It was surprising to them to see a look of horror on Ron's face, instead of one of anger.

Ron thought that if his brothers knew whom he fancied, they wouldn't let him live it down. He crossed to the seat opposite the twins rather business like. He was going to negotiate for the least amount of torture possible if it was the last thing he did.

"How did you two know I liked Luna?" as Ron asked this, the twins' eyes nearly popped out of their heads. George couldn't believe it.

"We thought you fancied Hermione." Ron shook his head vigorously and then stopped. His face softened as he began to explain.

"Well, I did, up until last year. I saw Viktor give her his address so she could write to him." At this George sank. He figured in his mind that she probably fancied Viktor. Who could blame her? He was rich and well known. George was only known as a prankster, nothing good really.

"Then I met Luna and something just happened in my head." Ron was still speaking but George wasn't really paying attention. He was thinking about how happy Hermione would be with Viktor.

"I still can't believe you like Loony." Fred seemed to be rather amused by this new bit of information.

"Hey, don't call her that." Ron said to Fred a little louder then he might have planned. A few eyes could be felt on the trio of redheads. Once again Fred lunged back with his hands up in what looked like a sign of surrender.

"Geez. You are as protective of Luna as George is of Hermione." George's eyes grew in surprise of his twins' sudden bout of word vomit. "Both of you are whipped and the girls don't even know." Ron looked to George with a little bit of curiosity in his eye.

"You like Hermione?" George nodded nervously. "Good luck mate." If it was possible George slumped back in his chair even farther.

Seeing his brother the way he was made Ron start to think. He couldn't stand to see his brother the way he was. Suddenly a thought came to his head that made him feel absolutely brilliant. "I have the greatest idea." George looked up at his younger brother with curiosity sparkling in his blue eyes.

"You do? That's a shock." Fred said with slight shock and mocking in his voice. Soon both Ron and George sent Fred a look that would curl hair as greasy as Professor Snape. Now, it was Fred's turn to shrink in his chair. George turned to Ron.

"Go on." Ron leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. He looked like he had just gotten home from vacation and it was time to be the lazy bum he was.

"It's simple. Ginny." He said it in a way similar to the way you would tell someone the answer to the question two plus two.

Fred and George just looked confused. Ron shifted his weight so that the two legs of his chair that were in the air touched the ground once again. He realized that he would have to explain his sudden stroke of genius to his brothers.

"Think about it. Ginny is best friends with both Luna and Hermione. She can find out who they fancy and put both of us out of our misery." Fred seemed intrigued while George looked ecstatic.

"Ronniekins you are a genius!" Despite the fact that George had used a nickname that he despised Ron still seemed rather proud of himself and pushed his weight onto the back two legs of his chair once more.

"I'm keep telling you two that I'm brilliant. No one seems to want to believe me." A smug smile could be seen on Ron's face as he was balancing himself on his chair.

"Yes mates, brilliant plan, one question," Fred said rather dryly. "Which one of you chicken shits is going to buck up the courage to ask Ginny to do this favor for you?" he looked from Ron to George as he asked his question.

"George can." Ron seemed to be thinking that George had all the courage in the world. What made him actually think that? If he had that type of courage he would have told Hermione how he felt already.

"Oh no little brother, you can do it," said George rather reassuringly, patting Ron on the back.

"No you." Ron put all four legs of the chair back on the ground.

"No you."

"No you."

"Ron, you do it! It was your idea," George was starting to get a tad bit angry with Ron at this point.

"Oh Merlin! I'll do it!" Fred turned from the pair and scanned the common room quickly and found Ginny sitting with Hermione. "Ginny can you come here please!"

"FRED!" they both screamed at their brother for intervening anymore then he already had. Fred just turned back to the pair and looked like he was an innocent little angel.

"What?" The innocent face that was upon Fred Weasley, turned into an evil smirk as their little sister appeared behind Fred's seat.

Ginny placed her hand on the back of Fred's chair and looked upon her brothers.

"You called?" she said in a rather exhausted way.

George and Ron looked at Fred with red faces and invisible smoke coming out of their ears. Fred kept his smug expression and turned to his sister. He knew he was going to be bold and probably get his brother's hands around his neck but he didn't care. Someone had to do this or everyone was sure to go mad.

"Yes my lovely younger sister. You wouldn't happen to know who has caught the eye of your two best girlfriends have you? And if you have not could you do two of your brothers the favor of finding out before they go mad?" Fred flashed his sister a grin that was very mischievous indeed but also rather charming in it's own way as well.

Ginny just rolled her eyes. She had a feeling her brothers would fall for her friends. Although she really didn't mind that they did.

"Which one of you fancies which?" she asked with a sigh. If she was going to do this she wasn't going to lead one girl to the wrong brother. The jealousy in her family ran ramped and she was not going to be the cause of any brotherly fighting.

"George wants Hermione and Ron wants Luna." He was saying it as if nothing was going on. Like he said it everyday. George turned to Ginny and was shocked that she was nodding her head knowingly.

"You knew?" he asked without really thinking, it just kind of fell out of his mouth. Ginny just laughed, realizing the embarrassment and shock in her brother's voice.

"Well to be perfectly honest, I thought Ron was still hooked on Hermione but this works too." She smiled softly at her brothers before she spoke once again. "I'm not sure who she fancies but I know her and Viktor are just friends." It was as if she had read George's mind when it came to said Bulgarian.

Ginny smiled at George's relieved reaction, but her face dropped as she turned to Ron. He seemed to be hoping that she would have more information on a girl in her year rather then one from her house. Her lips slipped sideways and Ron's expression fell.

"As for Luna, it's hard to tell if she fancies anyone." Ron's face fell farther if it was possible and Ginny sighed in what seemed like defeat. "Alright, alright I'll be an owl and talk to them."


	3. Chapter 3

"Ginny can you come here please!" at this both Hermione and Ginny popped their heads up from their work to find Fred calling Ginny. They looked at each other both rather confused.

"What do you think they want?" Hermione asked Ginny in a low whisper who just simply shrugged.

"I don't know but I'm going to find out." And with that Ginny left Hermione to her thoughts.

The young Gryffindor might have been good at schoolwork but that didn't mean that she loved to do it. She tried to concentrate on the work in front of her but her mind kept drifting. She didn't understand why Fred would want to talk to Ginny alone. Normally it would be very much like the twins to come up to her if they needed to talk to her.

Hermione looked to the table that Ginny had gone to, only to find all the Weasley's who still attended Hogwarts present. Both Ron and George seemed very nervous and upset with Fred for calling Ginny over.

George was acting very strange that day. Hermione had caught him looking at her a couple of times but she didn't let him know that she had seen him until the last time. She gave him a small smile and a wave. He looked shocked that she had caught him and looked back at his things and looked like he might have gained a little bit of the trademark Weasley color.

Hermione merely laughed and went back to her work. She smiled softly to herself as she thought that he did look a little cute when he blushed. When she thought of that however she had to shake her head to get that thought out of her head. She looked up at the table full of redheads and bit her lower lip. For some reason not knowing the details of the conversation happening about five feet away from her was really getting to her. Hermione shook her head again and did her best to get back to the work sitting in front of her.

She was working on an outline of her potions textbook in order to prepare for her O.W.L. exam that would be taking place in about a week. Potions was the last class that she needed to outline before she could start the real reviewing. _What could they possibly be talking about?_ was the only thought that kept popping into her head. Stop it Hermione! Do your work! was always the thought that would follow the first thought.

As she turned the page to start the final chapter of the textbook she felt someone sit next to her. Hermione smiled softly to herself as she turned to find Ginny sitting next to her once again.

"So what did the boys want with you?" she asked with a small laugh in her voice. Ginny shrugged it off.

"Oh they just wanted me to ask you to help them study for exams." Hermione looked strangely at the young redhead with shock in her eyes.

"Fred and George? Don't they know that they are two years ahead of me? I wouldn't know the stuff they have learned." Once again Ginny shrugged.

"Maybe they really do need your tutoring if they think that," Ginny said with a laugh. She went back to a normal face in order to be able to give a possible explanation to her – what she now saw as a – poor excuse as to what the family of redheads had been talking about only a couple of minutes beforehand. "They probably think that you could read their textbook and somehow take their N.E.W.T.'s for them." Ginny explained waving it off. Hermione simply rolled her eyes figuring that; that did sound like something the twins would pull.

Ginny sighed silent relief as she watched Hermione's body language and realized that she had bought her story. Hermione directed her eyes back to her parchment before speaking once again.

"They truly are thick if they think that," she said with a laugh.

The twins should have known from Ron that Hermione was not one to really like to help with homework. Everyone she helped would just copy her work and not put in any real effort to make the work their own. There were a few exceptions though, such as Ginny. She would only ask for a little bit of help now and then and would only ask for a reasonable amount of help. Hermione knew that Ginny was too stubborn to really ask for a lot of homework help.

Hermione started to tap her quill against her parchment and bit a small part of her lower lip in thought. She would do this often and Ginny knew that it was a good sign that the plan she was currently cooking up in her head was actually working. Finally Hermione sighed in defeat and Ginny released an inner smile. She lifted her head from the parchment that she had been looking at to glance at Hermione.

"What is it?" She asked with a voice that made it seem like she truly didn't know what the brunette in front of her was thinking. Hermione finally looked up at Ginny through the top of her eyes.

"Tell Fred and George that I will meet them in the library and I will see what I can do," she said in an exhausted fashion. She had to prepare for her O.W.L.'s, but she took into account that their N.E.W.T.'s were important as well.

Ginny knew that her plan was working well but she didn't let Hermione in on such a secret. She just nodded her head knowingly and spoke softly.

"I'll tell them," she looked back down at her parchment and inwardly checked Hermione off her list. Now she just had to get to Luna. How in the world would she get whom Luna liked out of her?

"Oh and tell them to bring the books that they need," Hermione said as an after thought. Ginny just nodded her head absentmindedly, almost in an automatic fashion.

Ginny wasn't really there anymore. She was in her own little world trying to think of a way to talk to Luna. Things were going so well with Hermione that she was determined to make things work as well with Luna. Ginny started to gather her things and went to go to the library to see if Luna was there.

Hermione saw Ginny start to get up out of the corner of her eye. She looked up at her confused. She stopped outlining and spoke softly.

"Gin, where are you going?" Ginny glanced at her out of the top of her eyes before returning her attention to packing her things.

"Oh, it's too crowded in here. I'm going down to the library," and with that the young redhead was off. Hermione sat there confused for a moment. If anything the library would be more crowded then the common room was at that moment. Everyone was studying for exams and going to the library was one place that was always popular during this time. So why would Ginny go there if she wanted quiet? She shook her head and started to wonder why Ginny was acting so strange.

Hermione took a deep breath and knew that she couldn't let this get to her. She looked around the oval room scanning it with her auburn eyes. There were handfuls of people scattered around the room. However she couldn't find Harry. Maybe Harry and Ginny were dating secretly so that Ron wouldn't get upset. She doubted it though. Ginny wasn't the type of hide a relationship from Ron, or at least hide it from Hermione. She set herself back to work. She knew that she had to get this work done or it was going to bug her that she didn't.

Hermione worked her way through half of the chapter before she felt someone come up to her table again. She couldn't help but smile to herself in victory.

"So the library wasn't crowded enough for you now huh?" she laughed and wrote another sentence on her parchment.

"Hermione, when was the last time I willingly stepped into a library?" Hermione looked up to see George smiling down at her. She returned the warm smile and laughed in slight embarrassment. She ran her fingers through her brown waves and tousled is back away from her eyes.

"Sorry George, thought you were Ginny," George showed a look of fake hurt but a smile could still be seen upon his lips.

George loved to see Hermione smile or laugh. To know that he caused that effect made his heart beat faster then it normally did around her, which was pretty fast to begin with.

"You thought I was my sister? Now that one hurts Hermione, right here," he pounded his heart lightly and laughed softly. Hermione pursed her lips, sighed, and rolled her eyes, all with a smile threatening to break across her lips. She put her quill down and looked up at him as she sat back in her chair a bit.

George couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat at feeling his eyes lock with hers. Even if it was for a minute, he was still staring into her auburn eyes.

"You know, you shouldn't make me feel bad," she raised an eyebrow as she spoke. It threw George off thinking that she was trying to be coy. "If you do, then I might be so distraught that I won't be able to help you study for your exams." She sighed deeply and shrugged, looking down at her parchment and then up at George through the tops of her eyes.

George couldn't believe that this was Hermione Granger who was working him over just to mess with his head. If he didn't like her before, he definitely did now. He saw Hermione laughing as she sat back farther into her chair.

"George, I'm kidding," she smiled a slightly evil smile and laughed as she took quite a lot of amusement in George's shocked expression. "Of course I will help you and your brother with exams, I just don't know what I will be able to help you with. You are after all two years ahead of me." George smiled. In his head he was trying to understand what exactly she had meant. Then he figured that Ginny must have said something. He figured that it would get him to be alone with Hermione for a period of time that she wasn't yelling at him so he was willing to take it.

"Don't worry Hermione, you will be more then enough help. Even if you are just there, I think your brains will rub off on my and Fred." Hermione couldn't help but smile at that.

Seeing her smile made a smile come across George's face. She just shrugged and looked up at him.

"Alright George, you two meet me in the library tomorrow about an hour after dinner. Bring your books and some parchment." George nodded and walked back to where he was sitting with Fred.

George didn't know what he had really gone over to her for; it was probably just to be near her. He convinced himself that that was the true reason since he really wasn't sure why he wanted to go over there.

Slowly George sat back down in his chair beside Fred, a look of pure bliss upon his face as he slowly realized that he would be spending time alone with Hermione. Granted, he would have to share it with Fred, but it could have been worse. Fred had started reading Quidditch Through the Ages when George started talking about how he was going to go over to Hermione and just try and talk to her. He peered over the top of his book to look at his brother. The corner of his lip curled up in a strange form of a smile.

"So, how did it go?" George sighed but still had a small smile on his face.

"She said that we should meet her in the library an hour after dinner tomorrow." George sat there fiddling with the fraying hem of his shirt, waiting for the backlash that, based on Fred's eyes doubling in size, would soon come.

"Why would we be meeting her there?" Fred asked slowly on the edge of his voice leaning over to George.

"To study for exams," George said with a hint of fear in his voice.

"Why would we be studying for exams? We are going to be leaving during them." Fred stated matter-a-factly. George leaned backwards defensively.

"Hey, don't look at me. Ginny probably made up the story. I just ran with it. Sue me." Fred sighed into his chair.

"I wish I could," he mumbled under his breath, through gritted teeth.

"Please just go along with this. If you do, I truly owe you," Fred thought for a moment and a slightly evil thought crept across his mind. He wouldn't let his evil thoughts slip across his lips though. He knew if he did George would be suspicious and his developing plan would fall through before it even began.

Fred clapped his brother on the back and smiled.

"Alright brother, I'll play along with the little scheme our baby sister has so kindly started for you." George was ecstatic. He stood and looked at Fred.

"Thanks Gred."

"No problem Feorge," George started to head up to the dorm the twins shared with Lee Jordan. "I'm going to go figure out what were going to work on," he said with a smile.

Fred watched him go and softly nodded. He turned back to his book and laughed to himself.

"If you were smart, you'll choose something you are already good at."


	4. Chapter 4

The day dragged on for so long for George. The night before didn't move faster either. The only thing that was going through his mind was that later on that evening he would be spending time virtually alone with Hermione. Sure Fred would be there, but now that Fred knew the situation, he was bound to stay quiet and let Hermione and him bond.

George sat at the Gryffindor table that morning not really eating anything; he was just moving his food around the plate. Fred had taken notice of this and with his lips sideways he leaned over to whisper in his brother's ear.

"Come on mate, eat something please." George seemed to be off in his own world and was shocked back into the real one by Fred's voice. He turned to him and seemed a little bit in shock.

"Oh, um," he said with a smile on his face as he looked from Fred to his plate. He played with his food a little bit more before he turned his head back toward Fred. "I guess I'm not hungry." He shrugged as he spoke with a smile.

"A Weasley that isn't hungry?" a soft voice said. George looked up to find a smiling Hermione standing on the other side of the table. Sitting down she was still smiling and spoke, "Now the end of the world is really about to come." She laughed and George felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up on end.

Sitting, Hermione got a few things from the buffet that was usually along the table and put it on her plate. She ate a few things and then looked up at George who still wasn't eating. She put her fork down and figured that as long as he wasn't going to eat they would figure out what they were going to work on in their tutoring sessions.

"George," she said and the redhead popped his head up.

"Yes love?" he asked with a smile. Inwardly George thanked Merlin that he had a small reputation as a flirt. He could call her 'love' and get away with it.

The pet name didn't seem to affect Hermione that much. Her mind was still in school mode, but she did feel her stomach make a little hop. She would farther figure out way that happened later but for now, she had to worry about what she was going to be helping George with. She swallowed a little bit more of her food before she spoke.

"Have you and Fred decided what we are going to work on later?" she took another bite of food while she waited for George's answer.

George swallowed his food with slight difficulty and hoped that it didn't show. He hadn't really thought about it, considering the night before all that he was thinking about was her. Then again, all that he thought about was her. He looked back down at his plate to try and form some type of coherent thoughts.

"No, not really," he said softly. Hermione was wondering why he was acting so strangely. Well, he was acting like himself to a certain extent. It wasn't like him to look away from her and it definitely wasn't like ANY Weasley to not eat a meal. She let her lips slip sideways and a soft sigh escape her lips. She turned her attention to Fred and George was cringing at the fact that he had lost her attention.

Hermione swallowed a little bit more food before she spoke to Fred. Since when was she so hungry? She figured that the O.W.L.'s were finally talking a toll on her and making her do strange things.

"Fred have you thought about what you need help with?" she asked slowly. Fred simply shrugged. He was reading a book and looked up at her through the tops of his eyes before speaking.

"Haven't given it much thought really." Hermione pursed her lips at his answer.

"I don't understand how you guys expect me to be able to help you if you don't even know what you need help with." She said rather bitterly. She stabbed some of her eggs with her fork to let out a little bit of her anger.

George hated seeing her like this. He knew he had to speak up or she might say to forget her helping them out with studying.

"Well you know Hermione," George said without really thinking about what he was about to say. Both Hermione's head and Fred's snapped in his direction. "I could always use some help with Charms." Hearing this caused Hermione's brow to furrow in confusion and Fred seemed pleased with his brother.

"I thought that you were good at Charms, after all doesn't a majority of your products require a lot of Charm work?" Hermione was still confused and didn't see where things were going. George had a brain; she knew that for a fact.

Fred could see that his twin hadn't thought that far ahead of her and stepped in.

"Actually Hermione, I'm the one that does the charming, Mr. Genius over here just gets a large part of the ideas and works on the potion stuff." It seemed like Hermione had believed their story because she nodded as if she had.

In her head Hermione started thinking of what she could do to help George out with Charms. She was rather talented in the subject herself; after all in her first year she was the only person in the class who was able to levitate a feather at first. She looked from George to Fred once again.

"You still have no idea what you need to study Fred?" she asked with what seemed like a little bit of hope in her voice. Fred just shook his head with a mouth full of food. Once he swallowed he spoke again.

"Still not a clue." He shrugged and so did Hermione.

"Just try to have some sort of an idea by tonight ok?" Fred nodded his head as he dug it back in the book he was reading.

Hermione sighed and went back to her food. She played around with it for a few more minutes before she looked down at her watch and began to stand up. She looked up at the twins and started to speak. "I'll see you guys later. I have to get to class." The twins waved her good bye.

"Bye Hermione," they said in unison. Both had acknowledged her departure in different ways. Fred looked up and spoke his goodbye politely before going back to his book, while George watched her go.

Fred noticed this and got a devilish smile upon his face as he leaned over to whisper in his twins' ear.

"Staring at her arse won't bring her back, although," he looked at the almost gone figure that was Hermione. "I will admit; it is something nice to look at."

With that George snapped his head back to look at Fred and gave him a glare that could kill. Fred gulped and slid away from George slightly.

"Don't talk about her like that," George hissed through gritted teeth.

Fred knew that he had gone too far with his last comment and he was quickly apologetic.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry. Geez you really got it bad huh?" he asked as his twin was returning back to normal. George sighed and looked back in the direction of the entrance into the Great Hall.

"Ya," he said a little sadly realizing that she was completely out of view. He turned back to his food and started picking at it "I guess I do." He finally took a bite of his food. He really didn't want to eat but his stomach was telling him something different.

"I'm proud of you, you know that." George snapped his head up in confusion at Fred's comment.

"Proud?! I just told her that I need help in one of my best subjects," he felt like he had just dug his own grave.

"Exactly why I am proud of you," Fred replied with a twinkle in his eye. George was now completely confused and didn't know what Fred was talking about. Fred just shook his head in disbelief at how thick his brother could be. "Honestly I thought you were smarter then this. Don't you see, you tell her a subject you are great at and then you can just fake at being horrible? We are good enough liars that she will never be the wiser."

George was strangely intrigued by what Fred had to say.

"Is there anymore left to this brilliant plan of yours?" he asked a tad bit of eagerness in his voice, however it really wasn't that noticeable if you were just passing by the conversation. What was noticeable was a note of annoyance in his voice.

Fred looked at his twin with a smug smile. He wasn't going to tell him the real rest of his plan.

"You just suck at Charms, dear brother and win her heart." He said with a pat on George's back.

A sheepish smile came across George's face. He wasn't aware however of the rest of Fred's plan, and wouldn't if Fred had anything to say about it.


	5. Chapter 5

It was about ten minutes before Fred and George has to go meet Hermione for their tutoring session and Fred was no where to be found. The pair had parted when Fred said he had some unfinished business with a first year, and since then he was missing in action. George checked his watch and decided that he couldn't wait for Fred any longer as he grabbed his charms book and headed out of the common room.

When George got to the library he looked around to find Hermione bent over a piece of parchment and, of course, surrounded by books. He smiled faintly to himself as he looked at her. _She looks so cute when she is working like that._

George walked up behind her and took the book that was open in front of her out of her face. Hermione was shocked and turned around to smile up at George through pursed lips. The Weasley twin looked at the book with a confused look.

"Um Hermione, I said I needed help with Charms not Defense Against the Dark Arts." A small laugh escaped his lips. Hermione laughed as she took back the ancient looking Defense Against the Dark Arts book. George felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end when she laughed.

"It isn't for you George," she said as though she were stating the obvious. She moved closer to him and whispered in his ear, "I was looking up spells for the DA."

George felt a chill of happiness at how close she was. He was determined not to let her know how she affected him, at least not yet. He leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"Good, because I wouldn't want you to waste your time teaching me something I already know how to do." George felt a slight pang of guilt saying that. Since that was exactly what he was doing but he was so close to Hermione, how could he feel guilty?

Hermione felt chills go down her spine as she felt his breath on her. She didn't understand why though.

A thought popped into her head. _Could I like him? No. He bugs the crap out of me, how could I possibly like him?_ She shook the thoughts from her head and looked down at her feet with the book clutched to her chest. She realized just how close they were, as did George and all he wanted to do was reach out and tell her everything how he really felt about her.

However before he could she sat back down and placed the book on the table as she looked up at him and smiled. He couldn't help but smile when hers came across her face.

Suddenly her face fell a little as did his.

"Where's Fred?" Hermione asked curiously. She had promised the twins that she would help them both and she didn't want to lose more time then she needed to since she really wanted to get more time in for studying for her own exams. She then realized how selfish that sounded and felt guilty for thinking so. N.E.W.T.'s were more important than O.W.L.'s and she had to admit, even if it was only to herself, that she was pretty impressed that the twins actually wanted to do well on them.

For some reason George felt more jealousy then he knew he should be feeling. He simply shrugged and sat down next to her.

"I don't know. Haven't seen him since dinner." Hermione let her lips slip to the side in thought and then shrugged it off.

"Well, it's his marks not mine right?"

George returned her smile as he couldn't help but return it. She always seemed to have that affect on him.

"Well," he said as he got his Charms book out of his bag passing it to Hermione. "I guess we should get to work huh?" Hermione was taken aback for a moment. She couldn't believe that George Weasley was actually volunteering to do work, schoolwork never the less.

"Who are you and what have you done with George Weasley?" she asked with a laugh in her voice. George just shrugged.

"I want mum to actually be proud of me for once, instead of ashamed." He said with a sheepish smile on his face.

Hermione smiled and took the book from him. She flipped it open and pulled a folded piece of parchment out from the middle of the book. She held it up to him with a question in her eye.

He took it back from her and opened it. "What I need to know for the N.E.W.T.'s," he said. Once again Hermione was shocked. To know what was on the exam he would have had to actually have gone to class and stayed awake as well.

"Ok, NOW I'm impressed. I honestly didn't think that you would be as prepared as you are." She said with another laugh in her voice. George's stomach did a little back flip at the sound of her laugh. Hermione felt her cheeks blush a very light pink at how she was actually enjoying being around George.

Hermione looked at the list and tried to figure out what spell they should work on first. She picked a spell that she knew she could effectively show George.

"Alright," she said as she folded up the parchment and put it back on top of the book. "Let's try to make a waterproof portable fire." She said calmly at George to see him a little hesitant.

"I don't know Hermione, I have never been that good at those." The truth was that George was the one who would light the fires when Fred and George had to brew something for a product. _Well, Fred did say to do stuff I knew, I guess I just got lucky,_ he said in his head. She gave him a pleading smile.

"Oh come on George, you can do it, at least try. I'm sure you aren't that bad. Besides I have been conjuring them since first year so I will be able to help you out." The pleading smile turned into a reassuring one as she started to clear off the table. She flipped through the pages of the book to find the incantation.

"Here," she said as she handed the book over to him and pointed to the words. "Try saying it without wands first. Maybe you are pronouncing it wrong." George took the book from her hands and took a deep breath.

"Ok. Aqua Contra Flamma." He said slowly. Hermione listened intently and tried to figure out if anything was mispronounced. She pursed her lips and shook her head. George sighed.

"I'm saying it wrong aren't I?" Hermione looked up at him and shook her head.

"No, no, no. You are saying it right. That is why I don't get why the spell doesn't work for you." This was the thing that made it truly mind boggling to Hermione.

As Hermione tried to think of a reason as to why the spell wasn't working, George started to think of a way he could fake the spell being done wrong that Hermione wouldn't see as something that was being done on purpose. If she saw that then the tutoring sessions, and his chances with her, would be over for sure.

Hermione looked at the book and replayed what he said in her head. He had said it right so why hadn't he been able to do it? She tapped her index finger against her pursed lips as she thought and George thought it was rather cute.

"Well," she said and George snapped out of his slight dreamlike state. "You aren't saying it wrong, so let's try it," she said in a hopeful voice. George nodded and raised his wand. He knew that he had to perform the spell in a way that wouldn't produce a flame because if he produced it another way they might get kicked out of the library and it could be rather dangerous for Hermione. He lifted his wand and Hermione spoke before he did.

"Remember, say it with feeling, that might help." He nodded and did his best to do it badly.

"Aqua Contra Flamma!" and almost nothing came out of his wand; all he got was a little blue spark. George looked dejected and Hermione sighed. She stood up and stood behind him. She patted his back and spoke with hopefulness in her voice.

"It's alright George, just, try it again, I know you can do it." he turned around to see her smiling and he returned the smile that soon turned into a smirk.

"Hermione love, how about you go sit back down. I can't concentrate with a pretty girl standing behind me." He winked and Hermione laughed softly as she shook her head.

Her stomach seemed to float for a minute and she didn't understand why. She sat back down as she rolled her eyes. He is just being his flirty self, that's all. Don't dwell on it! she yelled to herself. George attempted the spell again and this time got red sparks.

"Well, those would be fantastic, if I was a first year!" he yelled at himself. Hermione let her lips slip.

"Come on George, don't give up. One more try; for me please?" she gave him a soft smile in hopes that it would persuade him. George cocked his eyebrow upward. As his eyebrow fell a smirk came across his lips.

"If I try what do I get in reward?" he asked. Hermione was once again taken back by his boldness and it showed on her face.

"Excuse me?" George just laughed.

"If I try again, what do I get as a reward?" he was acting cocky now and it bugged Hermione a little. She thought for a moment and couldn't come up with anything that she would be willing to do. She sighed deeply and just gave up in a sense.

"What do you want?" she almost instantly regretted asking this question. He could come up with anything in the world and that kind of scared her. After what seemed like a lot of thought a smirk slipped across his face once again.

"A kiss," The smirk didn't disappear from his face as he laughed softly at Hermione's shocked expression. George couldn't be happier that he could get away with being a flirt. It was probably the only way he might get a kiss out of her.

Hermione seemed to be thinking about this. It would get him to try the spell again and then she thought of a great way to reward him. A smooth smile slipped across her face and she nodded.

"Alright, you try the spell again, and I will give you a kiss." George was so excited but he wouldn't let it show. That would show her that he actually wanted the kiss and wasn't just being a flirt, which would blow his cover in a sense.

George stood up and pointed his wand at the table in front of him. He repeated the spell once more and this time red and blue sparks came out of his wand. He shrugged and looked over at Hermione. She sighed and looked up at him.

"Well, I guess I have to hold up my end of the bargain now, huh?" he smiled wide and nodded slowly. He no longer cared if she found his reaction odd. She stood up and walked up to George. She leaned up and George leaned down as Hermione gave his cheek a chaste kiss.

He was in shock; it truly was not something that he would expect. As she sat back down he began to slightly protest.

"Wait a moment Hermione dear," Before he could further protest Hermione started laughing.

"George dear, may I remind you, you only said that I had to kiss you; you didn't specify how you were to be kissed." She laughed softly and winked as she started to gather up the books.

George was stunned. He never thought Hermione would do such a thing. He was impressed and at that moment he thought that he really started liking Hermione even more, if it was possible that is. He sat back down in his chair and stared at her in awe. In her own little way she had just pranked him.

"Why Miss Granger, I do believe that is the most deceptive thing I have ever seen you do." Hermione pushed some of her hair behind her ear and George could swear that he saw a smile on her lips and a little bit of rosiness in her cheeks. However she turned to him with all of her books in her bag and handed George's back to him.

"Here take it back. We will work more tomorrow. Same time ok?" George took the book back still a little dazed. Hermione just laughed again. "Come on George, do you really want to stay in the library longer then you have to?" she asked with slight uncontrollable laughter in her voice. "If you do, then I'm getting Madame Pomfrey." They both shared a laugh and George finally stood.

"Believe me Granger, I will never want to spend more time in a library then necessary." They laughed once more and walked back to their common room in a comfortable silence. Each in their own thoughts and actually stealing glances at each other. Thankfully, they never caught each other and they each bid a good night and went up to their own dorms.

Little did they know, they would each have to go through their own form of an interrogation.


	6. Chapter 6

Hermione slowly walked into her dormitory and threw her bag beside her bed as she threw herself onto her bed face down. She was so tired that she just wanted to go to sleep and dream about whatever would come into her head when there was a knock on the door.

She outwardly groaned and lifted her upper body up from her bed so this way her voice would be clear.

"Who is it?" she asked, half hoping it was someone she could tell to go away or that they had the wrong room.

"It's Ginny," said the voice on the other side of the piece of wood.

Hermione groaned once more and pushed herself off of her bed. She slowly walked over to the door and opened it for the wide-awake redhead.

"Hey Hermione," Ginny said with a wave and a bounce of her body.

Hermione softly grunted back a greeting as she slowly started making her way back to her bed where she fell onto it face down.

"Hey Gin." She mumbled into her pillow giving a half wave to Ginny.

Ginny laughed at Hermione but was also quite worried about her. She didn't look this tired when she had seen her last. Granted the last time she had seen her that day was lunch, however that was still not an excuse.

"How are you?" she asked Hermione, whose head was still buried in her pillow.

"Tired." Hermione once again mumbled into her pillow, hoping that Ginny would get the hint.

Hermione wanted nothing more then to just go to sleep, she was too tired to actually try and talk to Ginny, but she understood why Ginny was there, sort of. She heard the young girl chuckle and felt her bed sink a little and knew that Ginny had sat down next to her.

"So, how'd it go?" Ginny asked bluntly. Hermione lifted her head and looked over at her friend with a very confused look on her face.

"He has a lot of work to do." She said before shoving her face back into her pillow.

"He? Weren't you supposed to be working with both of them?" Ginny was using a tone of voice that any coherent person could tell she wasn't being the best liar at that moment. Lucky for her, Hermione was too tired to really wonder about it.

"Fred never showed." Came Hermione's muffled voice.

"Really, why?" Ginny asked in a slightly fake surprise. Again, it was lucky for the young redhead that Hermione wasn't in peak condition, other wise she would have picked up on the fake tone in a second.

Hermione knew Ginny too well, and would be able to catch her young friend in a lie in a second. Perhaps better then Mrs. Weasley herself. Of course, that was exaggerating a little, but it also wasn't too far off the beaten path. Ginny knew this as well and hoped that her friend's exhaustion would work to her advantage.

Hermione sighed in slight frustration and pushed herself off of her pillow and propped herself back into a seated position. She started to pat her hair down as she did her best to arrange her thoughts.

"I don't know why he wasn't there, he just wasn't. George said that he hadn't seen Fred since dinner."

"Maybe he went to go visit Angelina." Ginny said thoughtfully; in a way that reminded Hermione of Luna Lovegood. Hermione raised one of her dark eyebrows and nodded slowly.

"Yeah." She collapsed back onto her bed and wanted nothing more then to sleep. Ginny perked back up to her questions.

"So what did you two work on?" Hermione cracked open an eye and groaned softly. She was not happy and only wanted to get some rest, but Ginny seemed determined to not let her have it unless she answered each and every one of her questions. The Gryffindor reluctantly gave in and sat up, propping herself against her headboard.

"Portable waterproof fires." She said in a sharp tone.

"What is with you?"

"I'm tired, Ginny." Hermione said with a whine in her voice.

Ginny wasn't getting as far as she would have liked; Hermione wasn't really being cooperative. Then again, how cooperative can someone be if they are dead tired and just want to go back to the sanity of their own dreams?

"Alright," Ginny seemed to be backing down so Hermione eased back against the headboard. She thought she was safe.

She was wrong.

"When are you supposed to meet again?"

"Tomorrow, Gin." Hermione said in a very frustrated tone.

"Alright," Hermione closed her eyes and snuggled into her bed. When she didn't feel her bed rise, she creaked one eye open and still saw Ginny sitting on the edge of her bed, looking around it in a way that she was waiting for something.

"Ginny,"

"Yeah?"

"Get out."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

George was floating. Purely floating. He had just spent several hours with the girl he was falling harder and harder for. Granted, they weren't doing something that he would want to be doing but it worked for the time being.

Then it hit George like a ton of bricks. Just because they were spending time together, didn't mean that she would fall for him. What if she liked Fred? What if she liked Ron? What if Ginny was wrong and she did have a thing for Viktor? What if she liked Harry? Hell, what if she had a thing for Malfoy!

All right, maybe he was overreacting with her liking Malfoy, but that didn't stop the thought from crossing his mind.

George had, had a thing for Hermione for so long, that the thought of her liking anyone else actually hurt him physically. He couldn't remember the exact moment that he started liking Hermione but he figured that it had to go back to when he was a third year and she was in her first.

_Fred and George Weasley were anything but innocent by their third year. By that time they had stolen several items from Filtch's office and had, had countless detentions._

_The pair were chatting animatedly as they walked down the narrow corridor of the Hogwarts Express, on their way to begin their third year at the historic school for which the train was named. That is until they were roughly bumped into by a large gob of brown curliness._

_"Oi!" George said as he felt a sharp pain in his stomach._

_"Aye, watch where you're going!"_

_The small brunette looked up at the twins with a scowl. She started to brush herself off as if she had fallen, before she spoke._

_"I should watch where I'm going? I wasn't the one flinging my arms around like a moron when walking down a thin corridor that other people walk down as well. If anyone should apologize it should be you." The young girl huffed and crossed her arms across her chest as she waited for the apology she felt she deserved._

_Fred shook his head in disbelief. "Bonkers," he muttered._

_Fred wasn't aware of it but this twin was somewhat mesmerized by the young girl. He had never had any woman, other than his mother that is, stand up to him and give him lip. The fact that this little girl, a first year by the looks of it, did, was annoying and intoxicating._

_George was hooked, and he didn't even know it._

_The young girl huffed once and turned on her heel and started to walk back down the hall in the way she had been heading._

_Once she was out of earshot, Fred spoke. "That girl is mental, I tell you." Fred turned back and started heading in the direction he had been heading in. He didn't make it far before realizing that George wasn't behind him. He turned back to find George staring off in the direction that the small girl had gone off in._

_"Oi, mate, you coming?"_

_It was then that George seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in. George turned around and nodded his head._

_"Aye, mate," and even though he kept looking over his shoulder back in her direction, George ran after his twin._

Soon George reached the dorm that he had shared with Lee and Fred for about seven years. He slowly opened the door to find Fred, seemingly asleep with the curtains to his bed drawn.

Slowly and quietly George made his way over to his bed when he heard a voice.

"So how was it?" Fred pushed the curtains back and looked at his brother with excitement in his eyes. George just shrugged and flopped onto his bed with a dreamy smile on his face.

"She thinks I'm horrid at charms and that I can't make a portable waterproof fire." George was saying all of this as if he were in a dream. It was then that Fred sat up, intent on getting more information.

"Oh come on mate, there has to be more then that. Didn't you try and snog her?" George looked over at his brother in slight horror and violently shook his head.

"No, no, no." As George settled back into his bed with his hands behind his head, he could hear Fred groan and fall back onto his bed.

"You aren't going to get anywhere with her," Fred mumbled, but wasn't counting on George catching any of it.

"What was that?" he asked jerking his body back up to rest his weight back on his elbows.

Fred was going to say that it wasn't anything but decided against it and felt that his twin needed a swift kick in the arse if he was ever going to get anywhere with Hermione. He sighed before he spoke.

"I said that you aren't going to get anywhere with her if you keep this up. By the time you finally get up the courage to spill your guts to her we will be getting her wedding announcement and then she will never know that you have proper fancied her since she was eleven!"

It was more the last part that caught George's attention more then anything that Fred said, which of course wasn't Fred's intention, but at least he was listening.

Throwing his feet off of the bed he sat straight up and looked at Fred right in the eye to address the subject that was most dire in his head.

"How did you know I've liked her for five years?" Fred scoffed.

"Oh please, mate. Don't embarrass me. I knew from the second that you kept staring off in her direction on the train that you fancied her." As the tips of George's ears began to turn red Fred gloated silently to himself. He actually wasn't one hundred percent sure that George had liked Hermione for that long but George's reaction was all the confirmation he needed.

He was quite enjoying how he was getting information about his brothers lately. First finding out that Ron had a thing for Luna and then finally confirming that George had, had a thing for Hermione for five solid years. It was brilliant in his opinion.

Finally George was able to counter Fred's accusation.

"Now wait a moment. I just thought she was something else back then. The attraction grew over a period of time." George felt that was a good point and one that would get Fred off of his back.

"I didn't know that 'a period of time' was about ten seconds after she scolded us like we were children." Fred countered and let a smug smile pull across his lips.

"Well we were acting as children!"

"We were walking down the hall! She has been a bossy know-it-all from the beginning, and you just seem to have a thing for girls that stand up to you." Fred then fell against his bed.

"And what is Angelina? She isn't one to put up with your crap." George threw this point back in his face, but George didn't know everything. However, only Fred knew that small aspect. And only Fred knew where he had gone after he had caught up with Ginny to explain his plan a little farther.

Well, he was the only Gryffindor that is.

Yes, Angelina did attract Fred because she was the type to not take anyone's crap, especially Fred's, and that caused the need for Fred to find another point to counter George with.

He quickly found one.

"Angelina isn't two years younger then us."

"And since when does age matter?" George's voice rose a little in anger at his twin's point.

Turning over to look at him, Fred had a smug grin, "Got a rise out of you didn't it?" this caused George's face to flush a slight shade of a reddish pink. Deciding that strangling Fred at that moment would be poor timing he fell back on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Did anything happen? Did you even get within a foot of her?" Fred asked, his voice hopeless.

"She smells like vanilla," George muttered, maybe more to himself then to Fred. These words however caused Fred to sit up quickly and a smile broke out across his face.

"Ah, so you did snog her!" It was George's turn to shoot up now.

"No, we just had to get close. You know, she had to make sure I was holding my wand right and such." Fred hummed in agreement and muttered very softly about something he knew George wouldn't mind Hermione do with his wand but George didn't react to it. He felt that what his twin had said was too vulgar to associate with Hermione. Even though in the back of his head, his animalistic tendencies couldn't help but agree more.

Defeated, George fell against his bed once more and groaned. "Alright, if you are so brilliant, what are your ideas?" Fred thought about this for a moment. Hermione wasn't exactly your average bird, and it would be slightly hard to help his brother out without revealing his whole plan.

"Find a way to talk to her outside of the study sessions."

"Find a way to talk to her outside of the study sessions?" George repeated, and Fred silently nodded.

Then George stared up at his ceiling once more, thinking. However, the more he thought about it, the more hopeless he felt. How in the world was he ever going to be able to talk to Hermione outside of the study sessions?

It was impossible. Right?


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the character of daphne finnigan isn't mine. she belongs to my good roleplay friend and is the cousin of seamus. we decided that for our rp, daphne is the missing roommate with lavender, pavarti, and hermione. hey, hermione needed an ally in that room. so, for the sake of this fanfiction, i gave it to her.

Most students, after a long night of studying and tutoring, would not be the first in their dormitories to wake up for the day, but Hermione had never been like 'most students'. It also helped that Hermione was a morning person to begin with.

This morning, however, even she had to admit, it was different. Rolling over to her side, a soft, tired, groan slipped past her lips.

"Sleep well, aye?" Daphne asked, Hermione. The brunette squinted her eyes at the blonde and then smashed a pillow over her head, before groaning again in a final manner.

"Guess not." Daphne laughed. A corner of the pillow was lifted so Hermione could see the Irish beauty.

"It's not an easy task," she remarked. Daphne sighed and pulled herself out of the four-poster bed, holding onto the top rod before speaking again.

"I can imagine. Tryin' teh tutor both Fred and George? Quite somethin'." That was when Hermione remembered that Fred had blown off the tutoring session that she had offered (or rather, Ginny had offered for her) to go off and play Quidditch most likely. The idea that education was blown off in such a manner angered her so much. Her cotton sheets balled up in her fists the more she thought about it.

"Ey, Herms," Daphne started, a little confused to her friends sudden mood change. _Did I catch her on her period?_ Daphne thought.

"Are yeh okay?"

The brunette turned her attention away from rage and back to her friend. Her head slowly nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. I just need to find a ginger and kick his arse." Daphne raised a brow at her friend and just burst into a small laughing fit. Daphne knew that Hermione was a little mental sometimes, but it amused her, and she knew that the girl meant well.

Hermione didn't pay any mind to Daphne's laughing. She was going to give Fred a good talking to and that was that.

Once she was dressed, Hermione was on the warpath. She kept thinking about how rude it had been for Fred to simply not show up for the help that she was offering them.

The clicking of her shoes was the only thing that could be heard as Hermione headed down the various corridors. Majority of students had already headed to breakfast and were about halfway through with their meals, but food wasn't on the brunette's mind.

Walking into the Great Hall, honey coloured eyes scanned the only table draped in scarlett and gold until she landed on two identical ginger heads. Hermione walked to the spot that they sat and stood in front of them, her hands planted themselves firmly on her hips.

"You," she said firmly.

"Me," responded George.

"Us," continued Fred.

"I."

"We."

"She."

"He."

The pair was smirking as they went back and forth saying various pronouns. Unfortunately, it was starting to tick Hermione off severely.

"Are you both done listing the pronouns you know?" she asked, an edge added onto her voice.

"We could go on for a while, love," responded Fred.

"You shouldn't be talking," Hermione pointed a finger in Fred's direction. "Where were you last night?" Fred put up his hands in a put off manner.

"I wasn't aware that you wanted to see me that badly, Granger," Fred said, a playful smirk playing across his freckled face.

"Not funny, Fred. I hope you realize that I have to study as well. I have exams coming up as we—"

"Oh, Herms," George chimed in. "You don't need to study. You're a giant walking brain!" It was a compliment that George could give the young witch in front of others, that wouldn't be seen entirely as a compliment. It made sense to him. Unfortunately, all it earned from Hermione was a very annoyed glare.

No one could say he didn't try.

"Very funny, George," she then turned her attention back to Fred.

"Your brother and I will be meeting in the library tonight at eight o'clock. I expect to see you there." The brunette started to turn around before she turned back to the ginger twins.

"And bring your books too."

After that, the brunette turned around and walked purposefully towards Ron, Harry, and Ginny, at the end of the table. Proverbial smoke could still be seen from her ears. Without another word, she poured herself a bowl of oatmeal, topped it with raisins and brown sugar, propped the latest Daily Prophet open in front of her and began to read. She hoped some hot food and ridiculous stories would cheer her up.

"I'm almost done with the second batch. Should I make three more, or four?" asked Fred. The twins were discussing their departure from the school they had called their second home, and George was only partly there. He was still thinking of the prior night that he spent with Hermione.

"George, you there?" asked Fred, snapping his long, lanky fingers in front of his brothers' eyes. George shook conscious.

"Huh? Sorry. What?" he responded, only to be greeted by Fred's laugh.

"Thinking of the bookworm again?" George blushed furiously and bowed his head, focusing on his breakfast.

"Ey, mate," Fred said, smacking George's arm. "Your girl just walked in. She looks ticked. What'd you do?" George looked up and saw a very furious Hermione. Quickly, he bowed his head and tried to engage Fred in other conversation.

Hermione walked right in front of the pair and curled her hands into fists and sat them firmly on her hips. It frightened George a bit that she looked so much like his mother in that single moment. He believed and only expected his sister to have such a demeanor.

The ginger-haired male tried to concentrate on what was going on in front of him (why wouldn't he want to concentrate on Hermione?) but he was having a harder time than he would have thought. He couldn't help but only pay attention to her curves, and contribute very little to the conversation at hand.

_Did she think it odd I didn't say much? Does she know I was looking at her? Am I ever going to pluck up the courage to bloody tell her?_

These questions swirled inside the ginger's mind at a rapid pace. He, however, was going to make sure that she didn't get suspicious.

"Oh, Herms," he chimed in. "You don't need to study. You're a giant walking brain!" George placed one of his classic grins upon his lips, but it didn't seem to work.

"Your brother and I will be meeting in the library tonight at eight o'clock. I expect to see you there," she said, before turning to head towards his younger brother, sister, and their best friend. Hermione only turned around to address Fred, not him.

"And bring your books too."

As Hermione walked away from the pair, George didn't let his eyes leave her form until she had sat down at the other end of the table and let herself become engrossed in the latest Daily Prophet. George sighed deeply and turned back to his mirror image, extremely frustrated with himself.

"What am I going to do, mate?"

A smirk, that meant that the gears in his head were turning at an alarming rate, meant bad things to those around him, pulled onto George's features.

"You're going to go to the library tonight and continue your lessons. That is what you're going to do." Fred spoke with the simplest of airs, but George wasn't too sure. To him, Hermione was a woman that was above him and the only one that was out of his reach.

"I don't know if I'll be able to keep this up."

"If you don't, you'll never get her to like you. Plus, is it such a shame to be around her?" Fred asked, placing a lanky hand on his brother's shoulder. He gave it a shake, full of comfort. Unfortunately, it didn't do much of that.

How was he supposed to woo the perfect woman? Someone who surpassed him in terms of intelligence and could have any bloke that came her way. Why would she want him?

George shook the thoughts from his mind. He had to mentally prepare himself for later that day. He had to pretend he was rubbish at enchantments that he had mastered ages prior. He needed something, some sort of guidance into how to figure out the brown haired bookworm. He needed to know her feelings. There was however, one thing, a sort of unknown advantage that he did have.

She didn't know her feelings anymore.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the last chapter i have written up for now. i need to get inspiration to write the final two chapters.

Time seemed to be moving faster than it would under normal circumstances. George blamed it on the fact that they were getting closer to actual exams, which also meant he and his twins' escape from the prison that had become Hogwarts. His heart continued to tear at the idea of leaving Hermione, even if it simply meant he wouldn't get to see her everyday. The fact that she was a family friend and would be around the Burrow constantly didn't really set in.

He still felt the urgency to express his feelings to the brunette. The world was changing, and it was doing so quickly. If she wasn't sure of just how he felt, and something happened to her, he didn't know if he would be able to forgive himself.

As George continued to walk down the dank halls of the castle towards the library, he decided that the omniscient feeling of doom and dread was the only thing still propelling him towards the ultimate goal of telling the bookworm exactly how he felt. That is until he walked through the double doors of the library and saw her bouncing brunette curls. It brought a smile to his lips to watch her hunched over three books at a time, her dark eyes seemingly moving between all three with ease. She truly was the brightest witch of their age. And all he wanted to do was make her, his own.

After taking a deep breath, George walked towards the fellow Gryffindor and plopped himself into the chair beside her, his legs simultaneously flying up and resting on the table beside her head.

"Alright, Granger. I'm here. You may now continue to bask in my greatness."

Hermione's dark eyes narrowed into a glare as she directed her attention at the Weasley. An aggravated sigh passed over her lips and began to regret being so egotistical in her presence. He couldn't always remember that she hated having to fight for air space in a room with an ego, and he was partly regretting what he said. That is, until he remembered what his brother had said before claiming that he was going to go to the loo and then meet the pair.

_"If she can't fancy you for all of you, she isn't worth it mate."_

"Where's your brother?" she asked, after giving him a death glare for what felt like a century and shoving his feet off of the table. George merely shrugged.

"He went to the bathroom and then claimed that he was going to meet us here. I, however, believe that we should start with the lesson anyway and not catch him up when he does arrive. If he can't be punctual, he should have to suffer consequences." George was almost convinced with his own monologue, shocked that he could get that particular string of words out of his mouth without bursting into laughter. Hermione seemed stunned by his words. Her head fell back to the set of books in front of her and began to close them, putting them to the side.

"I suppose you're right." George's bright hues drifted to the books she was closing and putting to the side. His head tilted to properly read the titles.

"Still looking for spells, eh?" he asked, his eyes darting from the books to Hermione. He watched as she pushed some of her thick curls behind her ear and wished it were he who was pushing the hair out of her face.

"Moody might have been a little mad but he did have a point," she started, looking over at him.

"Constant vigilance?" he asked, a ginger brow perking in question. Hermione returned his confusion with a smile and a slight nod.

"Constant vigilance." She laughed and he swore he heard bells. The tips of his ears warmed and turned a slight shade of pink at the idea that one day he'd tell her that. And they'd both smile at the idea that she was happy or flattered or embarrassed or feeling whatever feeling she happened to be feeling with that specific piece of knowledge.

"Well, anyway," she started, and turned away from him, pulling his books towards her, flipping open to the spell they had been working on the night before.

"Did you practice after you went to your dorm?" she asked, raising a brow at him. George nodded, eliciting a surprised look from the girl in his presence.

"Well then, show me what you've done," she offered, her shocked and slightly impressed expression now gone from her face. George took the challenge and took his wand out from the depths of his cloak, pointing it at the blank area of the table in front of them. He whispered the spell and out of the tip of his wand came a prefect ball of blue flames hovering three inches clear above the wooden table.

"Wow," Hermione uttered, her arms crossed over her chest, a shocked and impressed face clear to anyone who came across them.

"Told ya," George replied to her single word. Hermione leaned across the table and ran her hand quickly beneath the fire, her head nodding in approval soon afterwards. A large smiled appeared on her face as she walked closer to him, clapping him on the arm.

"George, this is brilliant. I told you that you could do it! I'm so proud of you!" George was thankful for her praises, but sadly, the librarian didn't seem as happy for the pair. A loud shush passed between them, seemingly pushing her away from him and he wanted nothing more than to wring the old woman's neck for taking the physical contact she gave away from him.

"Thanks, Mione," George finally responded, his voice soft this time around to appease the cranky librarian. Her head quickly snapped to look at him. His bright eyes followed the path her curls took when her head turned and he had to quickly bring them away to concentrate on what she said.

"You called me 'Mione'," she said, a perfectly curved brow arching up her brow line in confusion.

"I did," he replied.

"You've never called me that before."

"I should. It's a lovely nickname. Suits you too."

"You believe so?" she asked, her entire body visibly softening at his kind words.

"It's short, sweet, adorable," he nodded curtly, his lips pursed in an approving manner. "Yeah, I'd say it's a good description." The brunette dropped her gaze from his, seemingly embarrassed by his words.

 _Good job, mate! She's going to be yours yet! Now… Just admit that you fancy her,_ his head urged.

"That was very sweet of you, George," she said.

_Yes, very sweet. Good first step. You're getting closer!_

"But sadly, flattery won't get you out of the rest of this lesson," she continued, his face faltering at her misinterpretation of his words.

_Oh bloody hell. I give up._

"Can't blame a bloke for trying, right?" he asked, a nervous chuckle following his words.

 _Really? That was truly not the way to go about it you dense git!_ His head continued to yell and berate him for his reaction to her words, but what more could he do?

Hermione just shook her head and pulled out a piece of parchment, smoothing it out on the table in front of them. He noticed his own hand on the page and realized it was the paper he had written all the things he would need to know for his N.E.W.T. exam, if he were actually taking it of course.

"You kept that?" he asked, confusion obvious in his tone.

"Of course. I had to figure out what I'd be able to properly help you with. You shouldn't be so surprised, George. It's quite like me to be prepared." The corners of her lips perked up in a small smile, her eyes moving to meet his. As their gazes held, he remembered his absent brother's words of advice. He had to speak with her outside of tutoring sessions. How was he going to do that?

Before Hermione could open her mouth again the bell tower that signaled the hour and suddenly George came up with a brilliant idea. He looked down at his wrist and gasped.

"Blimey! Is that the time? Sorry, Granger, but I've gotta go. I've got detention of McGoogles and you know her. Can't be late." Quickly, he gathered up his books, extinguished the fire before them and took the paper away from her, folding it and shoving it, along with his wand, into the folds of his cloak.

"Can't believe it slipped my mind. So sorry, love," he said leaning over to place a soft kiss on her cheek, tapping her nose and sending a smirk her way.

As George turned away from the brunette, he couldn't believe his bold actions and almost wanted to turn to see her reaction, but he also knew he couldn't risk anything. If he had turned around however, he would have seen a shell-shocked Hermione, and a hand placed delicately on her cheek where his lips once were.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione stayed rooted in her spot for a long moment after George had left her there. Had he really just kissed her cheek? Did that really just happen? Did she actually care that it just happened? And did he really call her Mione? No one called her Mione outside of Ron, Harry, and her parents. In fact, her parents hardly called her that name.

 _Why am I dwelling on it? I've got other things to worry about. Namely my O.W.L.'s._ After taking a deep, calming breath, Hermione turned on her heel and moved back to the table she had been working at. She spent about three hours at that table within the confines of the library, finding herself feeling more comfortable as each minute past. Even with the ever-present threat of Voldemort swallowing everything and everyone around her she could still feel happy and safe within a room filled with books. Books didn't attack (for the most part), they educated. They didn't cause pain; they helped another find joy and happiness, even in the darkest of stories. Hermione never thought that there was something else that could bring that sort of specific happiness into her life but maybe she's starting to believe that there is something else out there for her.

By the time she finally found herself back inside her dorm, only Daphne was there, her blonde head buried behind a large Quidditch book. The brunette crept in as quietly as possible, as to not disturb her friend, but it didn't seem to work.

"Oi! Can ya get rid'o that bloody owl outside yer winda? It's been outside fer like a sodding year and keeps squaking it's brains away. I swear I've read this sentence like five tims a'ready." she asked. Hermione turned her head, curious as to why there would be an owl outside of her window at that time of night. It wasn't her family's owl, in fact, it looked like one of the many owls the school utilized for mail.

"What in the world?" she asked under her breath. As she brought the window open towards herself, the owl stuck its leg out, obediently towards her. She took the scroll from its leg and before she could give it a treat for a job well done, it was gone. Hermione sat herself down on the bed and unrolled the small bit in her hand.

"Who's it from?" Daphne asked. Hermione lifted her head to find dark eyes peering over the tome with curiosity.

"Um…" she trailed off, dropping her gaze back to the parchment. Technically, it was signed by no one, but based on the penmanship, she knew exactly who had penned it.

_You've helped me, so now it's my turn to help you._

_Meet me at the pitch tomorrow at 8._

"It's not signed," she said after reading the note for the tenth time.

"Looks like George," Daphne said, her voice suddenly closer. Hermione jumped at the sudden presence beside her, and glared at her.

"How in the world do you move so quickly and quietly?" The blonde merely smiled a wide, toothy smile in response.

"Quidditch o'course."

Hermione rolled her large chocolate hues inside her head before dropping them back to George's note. Daphne took her cue to leave her friends side. As the fellow Gryffindor plopped back onto her bed, her book flopping onto her stomach she kept one eye trained on the words in front of her and the other on the brunette across the room.

"So, are ya go'n ta go?" she asked.

"Huh?" Hermione asked, her mind drifting in and out of focus as she tried to think of just what George could possibly help her with at the Quidditch pitch.

"Are ya gonna meet George tamorrow?"

"How do you know it even is George who wrote the note?"

"Because I just do. Yer you, Herms. You should know tha' sometimes ya just know things." With those last words, Daphne settled back behind her book, happy that there was no more annoying owl to distract her from her reading, and Hermione settled back onto her own bed. Her homework, for once, was forgotten completely. All her mind allowed it to be wrapped around was what could possibly be learned down at a Quidditch pitch with George. And what did he think asking her to join him down there when their exams were so close?

 _I have got to stop thinking about him. And this. And over thinking everything he does. He's a flirt! Nothing more, nothing less!_ her mind rationalized.

Truth be told, within the small space of time since she agreed to help tutor the Weasley twins, even if it did turn into helping just one of them, she couldn't truly get her mind to concentrate on anything else. Sure, during lessons, he would drift from her thoughts but as soon as the bells that signaled the end of class chimed, her mind was immediately back to where it had been before the lesson.

Yes, there was only one Weasley who had been occupying her thoughts and it was mostly for his erratic behavior. George was being odd, at least she felt he was. He wasn't picking on her; instead, he was complimenting her. And he wasn't sending stink bombs her way; instead, she could actually remember him directing her away from where one was being set off.

What had gotten into him?

 _That's it,_ she thought in a huff. _I'm going to figure out exactly what is going on behind that ginger mop of hair of his once and for all. Tomorrow._


End file.
